¶ A S E R M O N O F
M A I S-ter. Iohn Caluine, vpon the first Epistle ofPaul, to Timothie, published for the benefite andedifying of the Churche of God.

Translated out of Frenchinto English, byL.T.

AT LONDONImprinted for G. Bishopand T. Woodcoke1 5 7 9.

The 17. Sermon vpon the second Chapter.

Likewise also the women, that they aray themselues in comely apparall
with shamefastnes and modestie, not with broided haire, or golde or pearles,
or costly apparell,

But (as becommeth women, that professe the feare of God,) with good
works.

Let the woman learn in silence with all subiection.

WE told you this
morning, that Paul shewing the privilege that God hath given us to come
to him, that we may familiarly call upon him, addeth, that we must prepare
ourselves to all holiness. For it is not meet that we should come before
God laden with corruption and filthiness: and therefore we must endeavour
ourselves to be holy. Now this consisteth not in ceremonies, as in the
time of the law, but in spirit and truth. And as before he commanded men
to life up pure and clean hands to heaven, so now he saith, that if women
will enjoy this so great and excellent a benefit, to be counted the daughters
of God, that they may come unto him, as to their father, and have him for
their refuge, They must apparel themselves modestly in comely apparel,
and not in braided hair, & these trifling curiosities that women have,
nor yet in sumptuousness of gold and precious stones, (For where Paul
nameth pearls, he nameth one kind for all) to be short (saith he) let
them shew a kind of appareling that is meet for women which make profession
of the feare of God by good works. And thus we see what Paul's meaning
is in this place. But peradventure a man would think, that he busieth himself
about too pelting trifles, and such as are not worth speaking of, leaving
greater virtues, & more meet to be stood upon.

And on the other side, a man might also ask this question,
why he speaketh rather of women's apparel, then of men's. But let us mark
that Paul's mind here is to touch a fault, which women are naturally inclined
unto, & too much given to it, to wit, this foolish appetite that they
have to shew themselves, and to be gorgeous and brave, that men may behold
them afar off: because women are in that part faulty, Paul speaketh of
it precisely & of purpose in this place. True it is, that if a woman
keep herself from all tricking and trimming of her self, and apparel her
self as modestly, as is possible, yet that is not all. Neither doth Paul
rest himself there simply: for we shall see in the end how he concludeth,
that women must apparel themselves in such sort, as they make profession
of the fear of God by good works. Therefore the matter standeth not only
in robes, or coats, and all such like, but generally, in the whole life.
So then we see in sum what Paul's meaning is, to wit, that if women will
call upon God purely, they must, beside the name of Christianity which
they bear, have also the effect, & must shew by good works, that they
have been taught in God's school. And let us take that word, before we
come to any particular: for so doing we shall be better instructed in Paul's
meaning, and gather also such instruction out of this text as is meet.

So then, even as he required men to lift up pure hands,
So he saith, women must make profession of faith and fear of God, by good
works. Now when he speaketh of giving witness of their faith, it is according
to that, that we showed this morning, that is to say, that we cannot call
upon God, unless we be grounded upon his word, and be well instructed.
And is it so, that women have need as well as men to fly unto GOD?
Then must they also be instructed in the Gospel. And in deed, GOD
hath made no difference betwixt men and women, in giving them the doctrine
of salvation, but his meaning was that this benefit and treasure, should
be common as well to the one as the other: and so saith Peter also: that
The
inheritance of the kingdom of heaven is made common to us all, and
God's meaning was to make men and women equal in this respect. So then
let us mark first of all, that women are not exempt, but they must be taught
& instructed in the word of God, & they that would deprive them
of it, are thieves, yea & sacrilegers. Therefore seeing God doth call
women to receive instruction at his holy mouth, let them not be negligent
therein: but let them know, seeing GOD
doeth them this honour, that of reason they ought to employ themselves
to profit in it, so far forth as shall be meet for them. Now let us come
to the second, which is this, That they must make confession of their
faith by good works. When Paul speaketh thus, he meaneth that it is
not sufficient to have this name, but our life must be a witness whether
we be so or no. Therefore for proof of our faith, we must have good works,
and this must be a notice & confirmation, that we prattle not in vain
the word of God, & make only a show that we believe it, but that we
have received it indeed, and that it hath taken root in us. True it is,
that this belongeth both to men and women: but let us mark, that when Paul
speaketh here of women, he bindeth men much more to make such declaration
of their faith: for if there were any excuse to be had, no doubt it belongeth
to women rather then to men, because of their infirmity. And indeed, these
poor frail creatures are to be born withall.

But if the case stand so, that women, if they show not
indeed that they are duly instructed in the word of God, and their life
be not answerable to it, cannot excuse themselves, and the holy Ghost condemneth
them here, what shall men do? Do they not deserve to be doubly condemned?
And thus let us mark and bear it well away, that we play the false wretches
in pretending GOD's name, unless
we declare our faith by good works, and show that we have not received
the gospel in vain. And now let us consider well in what time we are. Behold
how God punisheth the Papists, because they boast themselves to be Christians,
& yet their whole life is full of wickedness. And we may not marvel
at it, if we see such a dangerous and horrible confusion in these poor
ignorant men, which know not what good and pure doctrine meaneth: yet shall
they be sure to pay for it, and that roundly, for their abusing of God's
name after such a sort. But what shall become of us? For we pretend to
be reformed: and there is nothing else in our mouths. And surely God was
very gracious and merciful unto us, yea, more then we can think of, when
it pleased him to lend us the true doctrine of his Gospel, and drew us
out of the wicked & shameful corruptions wherein we lived. Therefore
our life should shine as a lamp. But if we have the Gospel in our mouths,
and in the mean while our lives be foul & filthy, and we run a wicked
& naughty race, is there not I pray you an horrible vengeance prepared
against us, for so falsifying this sacred title of the name of God? And
therefore let us bear away well by this text, what the confession of faith
importeth: not the speaking of the tongue only, but that our life be answerable
thereunto, according as Paul saith, To make profession of Christianity
by good works. Now if the case stand so, that we must make confession
of our faith, or else we show that there is neither virtue nor working
of the holy Ghost in us, we conclude, that they which renounce God by their
works, show themselves sufficiently before men, to be but infidels. Neither
may we fall to debating the matter, as we see many do, which will say and
use these kinds of speeches, "As for me, I am as good a Christian as the
best of them," But if we should lay forth their life before them, it would
make them liars. For (as Paul saith) they renounce God by their wicked
works: and therefore God for his part taketh them to be none of his, prattle
they never so much. And thus much for one point.

Now after that Paul hath thus spoken of such a showing
forth of their faith as women must make, he setteth down & showeth
us that it is meet, their apparel be answerable thereunto: as if he should
say, "If a woman apparel and attire herself after the manner of an harlot,
& show a kind of unchasteness, both in her countenance and her garments,
and other trimming of herself, is there not a jar [clashing], &
doth she not seem to be at square with herself?" Can we say, that this
her doing is a fit & seemly thing for a woman that maketh such a profession?
No, no. So then seeing women must witness their faith by good works, it
followeth also that they must apparel themselves soberly, and modestly.
But let us now return to that which we have touched before, that is to
say, that Paul sticketh not wholly upon garments, neither driveth only
at them, as though that were all the matter he would command women to observe,
and there were no other virtues to be required in them: but his mind was
in this place to touch a vice which women are overmuch given unto, (as
we said before,) and it is this curious trimming of themselves to be seen
afar off. If we should go about to make a certain law for women's apparel,
out of doubt it would hardly be brought to pass. True it is, that sometimes
rulers of common weales which had the governance in their hands, were constrained
somewhat to bridle them, and make moderation and stay in this behalf. For
women have been so intemperate in all ages, and so burning & set on
fire with this wicked affection and appetite, that rulers have been constrained
to ordain pains and punishments to remedy this matter withal, and unless
they had done so, they could never have come to any pass. Whereby we see,
that this desire to deck & trim themselves which is in women, is as
an horn mad beast, for that it cannot otherwise be suppressed & kept
under, but by hampering of it with cords and chains. And therefore the
very Heathen magistrates, & unbelievers, appointed certain laws and
statutes for it: so that they which in these our ages, suffer so great
& unmeasurable costliness in bravery, may be ashamed to give more liberty
that kind of way than the heathen do. But as for our part we cannot make
a certain law, to say, this is forbidden, this is suffered: to speak precisely
and particularly of every piece. Well may we draw out a general doctrine,
but if we would come to rifle up every little piece and baggage of women's
apparel, what ado were it? We should never make an end & there is not
so much as a pin, but it must be rifled up. Therefore we must be sober
therein, & mark what God hath forbidden, & how he thought it enough
to reprove the faults which are committed in this behalf.

And yet (as I said) we may well gather a sum by that which
is showed us in his word. It is said here, that women must be comely
appareled. Paul useth a word which betokeneth as much as an ornament:
but it is to reprove more sharply this foolish & perverse desire wherewith
women are thus set on fire: for they think, they can never be brave enough,
unless they have too much. And therefore when women deck and trim themselves
according to their fancy, they cannot but pass measure, they cannot but
be gorgeous and full of vanity, carried away with ambition & vainglory.
And therefore Paul showed on the contrary side, that whatsoever women have
to deck themselves withal, which is more than enough, is a disguising which
God condemneth, and they also disguise themselves as though they were in
a mask, & should cloth themselves with men's apparel. And this is it
which Paul meant, when he spake of this gorgeous apparel which women use,
as if he should say, I know how women will deck and trim themselves superfluously,
if they follow their own fancy: but this is as filth before God.

And therefore they must be appareled and decked after
another sort. And how? He useth here two words: the one of them signifieth
properly shame or bashfulness, and the other signifieth gravity or sobriety,
& modesty. So that we have to mark well that Paul doth here point out
as it were with the finger, the two faults that women have and are as it
were the two wellsprings of all superfluities, which have reigned in the
world through all ages, and bear great sway yet at this day. What moveth
women to desire to be thus prancked and trimmed up and to have all shining
and glistring about them? there are two causes: the one is ambition, that
is to say, vainglory and pride, and the other is vanity, in that they love
to be seen, and will always be fair. And this is oftentimes accompanied
with a far greater mischief. For their meaning is not to please their husbands
only, as this is a cloak wherewith they shroud themselves, but they will
have these baits also to draw men to them, as we see many do. And these
are the two faults which Paul reproveth in this place. Wherein he giveth
us a very good & fit means to correct all excesses and all superfluities
by, which are in women's apparel.

Let us begin with this word, shame and bashfulness.
Paul meaneth that women must not be impudent, they must not be tomboys,
to be short, they must not be unchaste, but must know what virtue is best
befitting them, and doeth most become them, to wit, modesty in not shewing
themselves too much, nor casting themselves at random.

If women were thus disposed, a great sort of these pelting
baggage toys which we see, & a number of these trifling disguisings
would no doubt be laid aside: we should not need many words, nor long brabling
about the matter, to say, Is it lawful to have these earrings, to have
such coiffs, to have such curling and braiding of hair, to have golden
chains, bracelets, tablets, and such like? And why so? For a woman would
think thus: I must be modest to obey GOD,
I must be shamefast and bashful: for this is the true decking of a woman
that feareth God. Therefore if women were thus advised, out of doubt all
this superfluity would vanish away, as I have said before.

But what? women are nowadays more out of square, then
ever they were: especially if a man go to these great courts, hardly shall
he be able to find any difference betwixt men and women. Indeed men for
their part do also abuse themselves in this behalf. For they cloth themselves
in women's apparel, & women in men's, so that there is an horrible
confusion amongst them, as if the world had conspired to turn the order
of nature upside-down: and beside this, there is a certain gorgeous bravery
amongst them which they lust after. And why so? Surely to be as it were
an ale pole. Men use not to hang out a sign at a tavern, unless they meant
men should come in who list. And while women deck and trim themselves after
this sort, to draw men's eyes to them, and to have men stand gazing at
them, what is this else but a spreading out of their nets? & therefore
it is as much as if they kept open tavern of their own bodies. True it
is, that all of them will not do so: but this is the end of their prancking,
and it is not almost to be found, but that such gorgeous deckings, and
such braveries do always bear one smack of bawdery with them although whoredom
do not always follow. So then let us mark well, when Paul speaketh of this,
shamefastness and modesty, that in correcting one fault he taketh away
all those superfluities wherewith women are so set on fire, that they can
keep no measure in them, & therefore it booteth not now, to reckon
them up by piecemeal. And if this affection and perverse desire were well
purged, no doubt women would deck themselves modestly, and we should see
no more of these disguisings. See there cometh out a woman like a painted
idol;all our age is full of colours, there is nothing but laying on of
gold, perukes and false hairs, and such like: again, we see such pomp,
and bravery, that when such a Diana cometh forth, we may well judge and
think that she is at defiance with all shame, with all modesty, with all
honesty, as a stews, & strumpet, ready to say on this wise: "I will
show myself here as a salt bitch, I will be impudent and shameless, and
show my filthiness to all the world." We should I say, see no more of these
things. If women observe this rule of modesty, they would not be so bespangled
with gold as they are, they would not have their heads uncovered as now
they have: to be short, they would not so exceed measure in gorgeousness
as they do, wherein they do but fight against modesty & honesty, which
Paul speaketh of in this place, if all this (as I said) were cut off. But
what? We see our women have not yet learned this lesson, profess they Christianity
never so much. Neither may we stand upon these terms, "These things are
indifferent," (as many use this subtlety to cloak their doings withal,)
"hath not God left these things in man's choice, whether he will deck himself
or not? And must we scan out matters so narrowly, & be so scrupulous
for this point, that there can not be a sleeve, nor a gorget, but men must
busy themselves therein to know which piece is more out of square than
other? And what for all this? are they not deckings and settings forth
of the body?" Yes, what then? As though all liberty were taken from us,
if we should use modesty? As for example there is one amongst us, that
can use his goods aright, and order them in such sort, that he will play
the good husband with them, and will not wastefully spend them, well, he
shall have liberty, his goods shall be given him into his hands. But as
for a child that knoweth not how to use money, is it reason think you to
give all into his hands, to dispose of them as he shall think good? Not
so: but they shall be kept until he come to age. In like sort, shall a
madman or fool have the using of his goods in his own hands, although he
be rich? Is he to be suffered to use his goods according to his own fantasy?
No, no: Let us learn therefore, seeing God hath been so good and gracious
to us, as to give us liberty to use these things, that is to say, apparel,
and meat, & drink, let us learn I say, to have this modesty in us,
that we may bridle ourselves, & be, as we had an overseer to rule and
govern us. And this is it in few words which we have to bear away.

There is moreover, and besides this, ambition and pride.
For women may apparel themselves as harlots, and yet not very sumptuously
neither. A woman may have a gown that shall not be very costly, she may
have no gold nor precious stones about her, and yet it is not to be said
that she is not excessive, and wanting measure or superfluous. And why
so? because her fashion may be unchaste, whorish, and enticing. And this
is the first fault. But yet there is another, and it is this, women may
apparel themselves modestly, without this shameless and impudent gorgeousness
which I have spoken of, and yet we may see a bravery and pomp in them,
as who would say, Men shall well understand that I can be brave if I list
[if I wish], so that a woman may deck herself simply, and not make
the matter so fine and curious as commonly they do, neither have these
little trifling baggages which we have spoken of, and yet it is not to
be said, that she shall not be condemned before God. And why so? for if
this vanity, which we have spoken of, be a fault to be condemned what shall
we think of pride? What shall become of this high-mindedness, when women
will needs be known to be something? So then behold the second point, which
we must a little consider of. For it is not enough, that a woman's apparel
be not too much out of square, or that God condemneth it, but there must
be also a moderation, and modesty to correct this ambition, and high-mindedness
and gorgeousness withal. But (as I said before) if we would narrowly rip
up all these trifles, from the pantofles [slippers] to the hood,
we could not do it: but let every woman consider herself, & think with
herself, "Go to, although I be not so foolish as to trick up myself to
be seen, yet am I not void of pride, for I would have a gown more brave
and sumptuous than other women have, that men might know me." Therefore
let every women consider herself well and examine these two faults. For
the holy Ghost is wise enough to reform us. And we see that he hath brought
us to these two springs: And if we could find the means to heal such diseases,
out of doubt we should no more see such excessive gorgeousness, there would
be no more such glistering & shining as is amongst us. This is it in
few words, we have to mark. And if this be commanded women, by more strong
reason, it is likewise commanded men: for if the faults which Paul condemneth
were to be born withal, women were rather to be excused than men. And therefore
we see, how God speaketh, who is the judge. Therefore let men learn to
apparel themselves both soberly and modestly, so that pride and vanity
may be cut off in them.

Pride, I say, that we desire not by our brave garments
to commend and set forth ourselves above other, and moreover that we have
none of these curious braveries to make us glister and shine as though
we should stretch out our wings as Peacocks, thereby to look upon ourselves:
let these faults be corrected in us. For there is nothing that displeaseth
God more than pride & this high-mindedness, and ambition, as who would
say, "I will show who I am, and when men shall see me, they will say, I
am of some countenance and worship." And surely this is not small fault,
for it cannot be, when we are thus puffed up and proud, but this foolish
curiosity must proceed from this spring. And therefore let us not say,
that these are small and light sins, but let us weigh them in God's balance,
and then we shall see what account the matter is of, & what it importeth.
And surely we see when GOD so
sharply reproveth the vanity that was in women, in the Prophet Isaiah's
time [Isaiah 3], that he threateneth them with an horrible punishment,
he doeth it not without cause: yea, and the Prophet although he had not
been amongst the women in their closets to inquire of all that baggage,
yet he discifereth by piecemeal all those trumperies, and useth a great
sort of words, to set forth all those superfluities which were in women.
And addeth afterwards, that God will shave their hairy scalps, and they
shall go bald, he will cut their garments even to their thighs, and will
discover all their shame, so that they shall be a mock and reproach to
all the world. When we see that God useth such hard threats, & mocks
at it, to see women so decked, that they bestow all their time almost to
pranck up themselves so diligently, seeing, (I say,) he marketh it, and
writeth it as it were in his tables, know we that when such superfluities
reign amongst us, if we will not correct them of our own minds, God will
and must use a violent remedy. And therefore let us mark, that it is not
without cause that Paul standeth upon this point, especially seeing it
is a fault that hath reigned in all ages: & again, because it proceedeth
from two so wicked springs, which displease God more than any thing else:
to wit, from this vanity, when we are drunken with our follies, & from
pride, when we pranck up ourselves to have all the world gaze upon us,
& to make account of us.

This being so, we see now what instruction we have to
gather out of this text, I mean, both men and women. Let women know and
be thus persuaded, seeing the holy Ghost doth thus direct his talk to us
(not only in this text, but also in many other place of holy writ, as in
the third of the first Epistle of Peter and in the place of Isaiah, which
we alleged before, and many other,) we must consider wherefore it is that
God stirreth us up & exhorteth us to such modesty and sobriety: no
doubt, because we are too superfluous in decking ourselves, & it is
very hard to amend this fault. And therefore seeing we know the disease,
we must come and seek the remedy. Therefore when women shall perceive both
this pride and this vanity, they must fight against it, and come to these
virtues which Paul speaketh of, to wit, to modesty, & moderation.

As touching modesty, they must be bashful and honest,
they must bridle themselves, they must not covet to be seen, nor have any
great garishness about them: again there must be moderation also, that
is to say, they must be humble, and not give themselves to this high-mindedness,
& this ambition, which is against the moderation and sobriety that
Paul speaketh of. And let men also consider, for their part, wherefore
apparel was made, to wit, for two causes. For there is both honesty &
necessity. The necessity is in keeping us from heat & cold: the honesty
is in covering us, yea in such sort, that our covering be decent and meet.
As for necessity, we can easily keep a rule, for as we see that meat &
drink are for our nourishment and feeding, in like sort our garments, that
we do not retchlesly [recklessly] give over ourselves to suffer
cold and heat.

But as for honesty, we keep no measure therein, so that
we may well seem to be at defiance with God and to what end serveth the
honesty? Had it not been for the sin of man we should not have been ashamed
to be naked.

And how cometh it to pass that we carry our shame about
with us, but only that it pleased God to set a mark upon us, as if an evildoer
should be burnt with an hot iron, as who would say, Thou shall be known
to be a naughty pack by thy forehead. So hath our Lord God imprinted in
men's and women's bodies, a shame and filthiness which causeth us to hide
ourselves. And therefore when men and women do so superfluously and excessively
pranck themselves, and stretch out their wings as Peacocks, do they not
I pray you, fight against the order of nature? mean they not to despite
God, and show that they be not ashamed of their sin? And this is it we
have to consider of. Yet let us mark what is written in Peter, to wit,
that our decking is inward. For if we would think upon this, to deck ourselves
before God and his Angels, we should not have so much leisure to seek pranckings
for the body. He that hath so great a care, to be so well appareled and
so well trimmed, showeth that his soul is very roustie, & full of filth,
and that he hath not great care to make it clean, & to keep it upright.

Therefore if we will be honest in our apparel, what must
we do? Let us mark well what Peter saith, where he showeth us, how God
will have us to be decked and trimmed before him. And wherewith? With humbleness,
with modesty, with sobriety, with moderation, with patience and all such
like. Yea, when we have put off all our sins, and wicked desires, then
the holy Ghost reigneth in us, and these are the ornaments which are so
often spoken of, that the Church shall be decked with precious stones,
there shall be nothing but gold and silver, whereby we are given to understand,
that GOD will have us decked
with graces and gifts of his holy Ghost, and therein it is that we must
take pains. Therefore let us think upon it, and then it shall not be hard
for us to hold ourselves back from all these unmeasurable fashions, whereunto
the worldlings are too much given, because they have nothing else to do.
And let us mark well, that all they that think upon nothing else, but upon
prancking up themselves, have no care of their souls, neither pass they
to deck themselves before God and in their souls.

And yet it is that (as I said) that we should most of
all see unto: and we see what is said unto us in that Scripture [Romans
3.14] that our Lord hath not left us naked. For he hath not only promised
us to clothe us with the graces of his holy spirit, but he hath given us
Jesus Christ to set us forth withall, whom we must put on. Therefore if
we were once resolved of this point, we shall easily pass through the world,
and never encumber ourselves with many superfluities. Moreover, (as I said
before) if these two wicked roots be once plucked out of us, we shall need
no excess nor sumptuousness, it will suffice us to be clothed with the
gifts and graces of the spirit of God, and of our Lord Jesus Christ, who
is our true decking as I said before. After that Paul hath spoken of women's
appareling, he addeth. Let them learn in silence and quietness with
all subjection. And this is precisely spoken, because there are many
women, that would be wiser, and desire to seem far better than men. We
see, (I say,) this foolish ambition, and this is to fight against nature.
And therefore when Paul had touched one fault, which women are too much
given to, he addeth also another. For he will show the reasons afterward,
why women should hold their peace, and should learn, and take no public
authority upon them: but let us content ourselves here that he respecteth
that which was to be corrected in women, and also is chiefly to be cut
off. As a Physician, when he seeth any part of the body, where the disease
is rooted, he goeth to that. If a man come & ask counsel, and saith,
my head acheth, this aileth me, and that aileth me, the Physician will
mark whence the cause is, and thereunto will apply such remedies as are
meet. And the holy Ghost who is a good Physician for all spiritual sins,
doth also give us remedies which are meet for us.

And therefore, Paul, after that he had corrected this
vanity which is in women touching their apparel, addeth also this correction
against the pride and desire that is in them, to make themselves seem somewhat.
And it is like that in those days, (as we see it came to pass in the City
of Corinth) there were some women very far out of square. For under a pretence
that God had done them this honour, to make them partakers of his word,
and to call them to one and the selfsame inheritance of life, they thought
they should be no longer subject to men. And if this foolish rashness of
women was already in Corinth, (as we shall see in the text of Paul which
we must expound more at large) it cannot be also, but there was the like
pride and presumption in the women of Ephesus, & those quarters thereabout.
The like we may think of this curiosity of garments. For we know that this
country of Asia was very superfluous and had more sumptuousness by a great
deal, than these quarters: and therefore they needed remedies. And this
is the reason that moved Paul to speak thus, Let women learn in silence
with all subjection. True it is, that men also, to speak generally,
must receive this lesson as well as women: that is to say, to learn with
all subjection and quietness: for we are all God's scholars. And let this
be one lesson.

Therefore whosoever refuseth to profit and to be taught,
he can not bear the yoke of Jesus Christ, and will not be of his flock.
For if we be sheep, we must hear the voice of our shepherd, and we know
that Jesus Christ hath called us unto him upon this condition, that we
should profit in his school so long as we live. Therefore this is not only
for women that they should learn, but men have their part in it also. He
that thinketh himself so wise, that he hath not more need to learn, is
a fool: yea, a very bedlam. For this is our true wisdom, to know that we
are ignorant, to the end that we may be daily more and more confirmed in
good doctrine.

And therefore let us not think that men and women differ
herein, that women learn: no man may think himself exempt out of this rule.
As for example, it is mine office to teach, but is it therefore to be said,
that I must not also learn as well as the other? I am not exempt from the
common sort of men, as who would say, I should not be Jesus Christ's disciple:
woe be unto me, if at any time I go up into the Pulpit, to teach the doctrine
of salvation, if for my part I do not profit by it. Therefore he that speaketh,
and they that hear, must be all generally taught: but the woman hath this
condition diverse, that she must learn, and not have the office of teaching.
And therefore Paul addeth in silence with all subjection. Men must
be subject, and with a quiet and peaceable heart profit in the word of
GOD: for we shall not all of
us be called to this office of teaching, it is sufficient that there be
a few, and that the other hear in silence: and if there be any so proud,
that they will not suffer themselves to be taught, let them go and be Satan's
scholars, that is to say, let him make them blind, and bewitch them, to
make them very stocks. So then let us mark well, that if we will profit
in God's school, as well men as women, we must have this subjection, and
peaceable spirit which we have spoken of. But (as I said before) women
must know that GOD putteth them
yet under another subjection, to wit, that they are not to exercise the
office of teaching, and it belongeth not to them to meddle with it. And
why so? The reasons shall be showed afterward as we said: let it be sufficient
for them that it is the holy ghost that speaketh here.

For if women will teach, by what authority will they do
it? if they be not sent of God, we must refuse them, and detest them, even
as men: if a man be not called of God, and have not an express calling
we must in no wise hear him. What shall become of women then, which are
utterly shut out? And this is it in few words, we have to note in this
text, waiting for the rest. And so, although Paul direct himself precisely
to women, yet must men profit in this instruction, and every one of us
must gather his part, so that we are all warned to be modest and discrete,
and to behave ourselves honestly as well in our garments, as in all other
points, and to walk in such mildness, that we swerve not from the obedience
of our God, but that from day to day we profit in his word, seeing he is
so good unto us, to instruct us in it.

Nowe let vs fall dowe before the face of our good GOD, with confession
of our faults, and pray him to make vs feele them in such sort, that we
may learne to displease our selues in them more and more, and so examine
our selues, that wee may discouer all
the hypocrisie that is in vs, and that wee bee no more giuen to flatter our selues, but
seeke the remedies whiche GOD hath giuen vs, to the ende that with all sobernesse
and modestie, wee may marche one to euerlasting life, passing so speedely this
frayle life, that wee be not incombered in those thinges whiche vsually hinder
vs, to turne vs away from the right way of saluation, but that we may profite
therein, more and more, vntill God hath taken away the corruptiós of
our fleshe from vs, to clothe vs with this heauenly glorie,
whereunto we striue. And that he bee so gratious
not vnto vs onely, but to all people and
nations of the earth
&c.